That Dancing Princess

Chapter Nine

 Kobra didn't tell any of her sisters about this young man who knew their secret. Yes, it was something she should have made aware of, but she couldn't seem to find the words. Besides, she knew what the solution would have to be to that problem, and she didn't want to hear anyone say it out loud.

 She didn't understand this Stargazer man. What did he want? Why hadn't he told anyone? Although Roy certainly seemed to know something, but he wasn't talking, at least not willingly. But this young man confused her, and she had never been so interested in a man like she was in him. 

 She went out to the gardens again the next day, to look for him. She was walking down the main path when she heard rustlings from behind some of the bushes. She stopped walking when something hit her, a memory. On the afternoon before the first night he followed them, he was here. He'd stumbled out of those bushes, and she hadn't thought to wonder what he was doing back there.

 Now she watched as he slid through the spaces between the bushes, pulling a small branch or two from his shirt. When he saw her standing in the middle of the path staring at him, he froze, and his eyes widened a little.

 "Hello, Your Highness," he said quickly. "It...is a lovely afternoon for a walk, isn't it?"

 She nodded. "I suppose so. What were you doing all the way back there?"

 "I was tending to bushes which grow back that way. Roy asked me if I could. I'm better at climbing back there than he is."

 "I see. You must be a great help to him, then. I haven't told anyone, you know."

 "Told anyone what, Your Highness?" he asked.

 She rolled her eyes at his fake ignorance. "I haven't told me sisters that you know. It is something they ought to know, but I think it may be best if they don't know yet. At least not until I can figure out what you want."

 "You Highness-"

 "Don't tell me you have to get back to your work," she snapped. "Whatever it is, it can wait. I want to know why you're doing this."

 "Well, if I may say so," he began, "I think that perhaps you all need rescuing from yourselves. This situation of yours has already gotten out of hand. At two dozen men have disappeared without a trace, their families left to mourn without knowing what happened to them. I don't know where that enchanted place came from, but trapping your suitors there for an eternity is far worse than simply killing them. Every day, all your shoes are worn through, without anyone but yourselves knowing how or why. Your father must be going mad with trying to figure you all out if he would put out such a reward. You and your sisters have caused too much unnecessary trouble, and you should stop now before this gets even more out of hand than it already is."

 Kobra stared at him, absolutely stunned. For several seconds, she gave him that stunned look. And then she raised her and slapped him hard across the face.

 "Rescuing from ourselves!"she shouted. "How dare you! You don't know anything about us. You don't what sort of lives we have. You think being royalty is all pleasure? Our father expects us all to get married to some boring princes who don't know how to appreciate music and dancing! Going to that place every night is the one truly joyous thing in our lives. Of course I have given thought to the men's families, but no one seems to have loved them enough to come looking for them. You'll be lucky if you're not next!"

 Kobra turned on her heel and stormed off, back towards the castle. After all these days of torment, the fact that he had spoken to her like that simply infuriated her. He was a complete mystery, and it was time she got some advice.

 She would tell her sisters what she knew.

~~~~~~

 I shouldn't have come here, Tommy thought. I should have just stayed home where I belonged.

 He knew what he'd said was true. But he hurt her by saying it, not to mention his cheek stung from that slap she gave him.

 She said that being able to go out and dance to the music every night was the one thing left in their lives they got to truly enjoy. If that were true, what right did he have to interfere? Perhaps he should have just stayed away. 

 Over their dinner that evening, Tommy asked Roy, "Would you be able to find a new assistant easily if I went away?"

 "Now, what sort of question is that? You're not really planning on leaving, are you?"

 Tommy shrugged. "I might have to. I...interfered with something I shouldn't have. And now I think there's a chance I'm going to regret it."